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clifton10
Joined: 21 Mar 2010
Posts: 71
Location: Jakarta
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 Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:08 pm Post subject: Vietnam or Turkey(In a Nutshell) |
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Hi everyone, I am a 51 year old American who has taught ESL for seventeen months in China and Vietnam. I have a Bachelor degree and TESL certification. I am now here in the States and am looking to return to the field after a nine month break.
I have been applying to schools in Turkey and Vietnam without much luck. I did have a phone interview, however, with one language school in Turkey last month but was told there were no vacancies. So I am looking at flying to either Istanbul or HCMC.
I plan to fly to either one next month to look for a teacher gig. My question is, which place be best? I know Tet is around the corner in Nam and Turkey has semester break in late January/early February. I had a tough time of sorts in Hanoi and would like to start fresh.
Has anybody taught in both of those cities - or countries? If you have, then I would love to hear from you. But the thing is, which city where I'll be able to find work within a few days without blowing too much money. Cheers. |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:26 am Post subject: |
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Hi clifton10,
I'm teaching in Saigon now and, although there is the annual slow down due to Tet, by the middle of next month things should begin to start normalizing. I don't know what your experiences were in Hanoi, but if you were able to find a job there then I can't see why you couldn't get work in HCMC. By the way, the best way to find a job here is to be here and knock on doors. Trying to secure a position from abroad is much more difficult.
In regards to Turkey, I've never been or taught there. I know a few people who have though and they all seemed to have enjoyed it. Indeed, one of my friends, who is teaching in Saigon now, taught in Turkey for several years and he is seriously thinking of going back.
Good luck! |
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Aristede
Joined: 06 Aug 2009
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:14 am Post subject: Re: Vietnam or Turkey(In a Nutshell) |
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| clifton10 wrote: |
Hi everyone, I am a 51 year old American who has taught ESL for seventeen months in China and Vietnam. I have a Bachelor degree and TESL certification. I am now here in the States and am looking to return to the field after a nine month break.
I have been applying to schools in Turkey and Vietnam without much luck. I did have a phone interview, however, with one language school in Turkey last month but was told there were no vacancies. So I am looking at flying to either Istanbul or HCMC.
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clifton, I am in much the same situation as you. Same age and maxed out on China. I'm leaning to Turkey because of (1) the ageist hiring practices in SE Asia (2) Turkey is culturally so different overall (3) proximity to many other countries I'd like to visit. I haven't ruled out Thailand, but took a trip to HCMC last May and can't see myself comfortably working in that environment.
My biggest misgiving about Turkey is the relatively high cost of living, but I'm tempted to give it a shot. Whichever place you choose, I wish you luck. |
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clifton10
Joined: 21 Mar 2010
Posts: 71
Location: Jakarta
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:47 am Post subject: Vietnam or Turkey(In a Nutshell) |
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Thanks for the replies. I will still keep my options open. 1st sgt Welsh, do you of anyone who has taught at Language Link in HCMC? It sounds like it's been operating there for only a few months.
As for Turkey, I'll just have to look at staying at a hostel and eating local foods; a good way to cut costs.
Thanks again |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:29 am Post subject: Re: Vietnam or Turkey(In a Nutshell) |
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| clifton10 wrote: |
1st sgt Welsh, do you of anyone who has taught at Language Link in HCMC? It sounds like it's been operating there for only a few months.
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In Hanoi, loads! In HCMC, nope. Unlike Hanoi, Language Link in Saigon is tiny, but I think they have been around longer in HCMC than a few months. You just never hear anything about them. The other chains such as ILA, VUS and Apollo are much better represented down here than LL. |
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_smaug
Joined: 08 Sep 2010
Posts: 92
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: Vietnam or Turkey(In a Nutshell) |
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| clifton10 wrote: |
| Has anybody taught in both of those cities - or countries? If you have, then I would love to hear from you. But the thing is, which city where I'll be able to find work within a few days without blowing too much money. Cheers. |
I have. I'm currently teaching in Istanbul after a year in HCMC.
I'm 55 and, personally, I think living is much easier in Vietnam than Turkey.
First, the pay. Your money goes a lot further. You can live like a king on a teacher salary in VN, whereas you'll scrape by on the same amount (relative to the USD) in Istanbul.
Second, the hours. In Turkey you'll be expected to work long hours -- late evenings, 7-10 pm -- and on weekends. Classes here often run 3-4 hours in length (yes, that's right: 3-4 hours) and you'll be asked to teach two of those 4 hour classes on Saturday or Sunday with a scant 30 minute break in between.
Third, transportation. Public transportation here sucks. Period. Avoid it at all costs. It sucks in VN too, but there you've got a motorbike and the independence it provides. You can travel anywhere, anytime. Not so in Turkey.
Lastly, schools here don't necessarily pay on time or in full. You may be asked to wait "a few days" past payday, or only receive a partial payment, the balance to be paid "tomorrow" or "next week". This is generally accepted in Turkish culture, not only in the English school industry, but in every sector.
So, for me, it's VN hands down. |
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Aristede
Joined: 06 Aug 2009
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:41 pm Post subject: Re: Vietnam or Turkey(In a Nutshell) |
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| _smaug wrote: |
So, for me, it's VN hands down. |
Interesting input. The only part of it that really bothers me is the part about just scraping by financially in Istanbul. It may not be fair to judge HCMC based on one week there, but I found the atmosphere oppressive and dealing with the traffic akin to Russian Roulette. Bangkok is idyllic in comparison.
Then again, I haven't experienced Istanbul yet. But I'm pretty sure I'll at least prefer the food.  |
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isabel
Joined: 07 Mar 2003
Posts: 510
Location: God's green earth
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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Ageism is not a problem I have seen in Vietnam. I was offered a position in Turkey at a well known university, but I turned it down because of the taxes and cost of living there. I'm happy and well fed in Vietnam, and saving money.
Oh- I am 63 and my good friends are all over 60. I have a 70 year old colleague. |
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EFLeducator
Joined: 16 Dec 2011
Posts: 595
Location: NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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| isabel wrote: |
| I have a 70 year old colleague. |
 Does he or she have any plans to retire anytime soon? |
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isabel
Joined: 07 Mar 2003
Posts: 510
Location: God's green earth
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:56 am Post subject: |
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| EFLeducator wrote: |
| isabel wrote: |
| I have a 70 year old colleague. |
:shock: Does he or she have any plans to retire anytime soon? |
You must know that 70 is the new 50. Especially in today's economy.
For a lot of people, retirement is no longer the option it used to be. I had a 70 year old colleague in Saudi Arabia who was working to help finance her seriously ill grandson. We have our reasons to carry on. And one good reason is that it is healthy to work at something you like as long as possible. |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:20 am Post subject: |
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| I work with a teacher who, I think, is in his early sixties. He has told me that he has the money to retire but he says that he enjoys teaching too much and, as far as I'm concerned, fair play to him . |
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EFLeducator
Joined: 16 Dec 2011
Posts: 595
Location: NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:50 am Post subject: |
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| EFLeducator wrote: |
| isabel wrote: |
| I have a 70 year old colleague. |
Does he or she have any plans to retire anytime soon? |
| isabel wrote: |
| You must know that 70 is the new 50. Especially in today's economy. |
Good point, isabel. Very true too. I, and I'm sure there are many others, never see myself being able to retire. Things are just too bad now.
| isabel wrote: |
| For a lot of people, retirement is no longer the option it used to be. |
Yeah. Sad but true.
| isabel wrote: |
| We have our reasons to carry on. And one good reason is that it is healthy to work at something you like as long as possible. |
Again, true and a good point. Hopefully society will let people continue to do that. There is a lot of age discrimination in the world today unfortunately. |
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sharter
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 878
Location: All over the place
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 6:53 am Post subject: retiring |
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| When I can't teach any more a bed in a Norwegian or Swedish open prison will do me. Nice surroundings, TV, gym, recreational activities, free medical care, 3 meals a day....what more do you want as a pensioner? |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:48 am Post subject: |
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| Are they gonna let you in, sharter? Hopefully you won't have to massacre many Norwegian teenagers.... |
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Lukas
Joined: 11 Jul 2010
Posts: 15
Location: Istanbul
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| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:42 pm Post subject: Re: retiring |
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| sharter wrote: |
| When I can't teach any more a bed in a Norwegian or Swedish open prison will do me. Nice surroundings, TV, gym, recreational activities, free medical care, 3 meals a day....what more do you want as a pensioner? |
That's hilarious. I just hope you don't get deported back to your country of origin! |
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